DRAGONS coach Darren Edwards admits the region’s hectic schedule – four games in 16 days – is taking its toll after a fourth successive RaboDirect Pro12 defeat.

DRAGONS coach Darren Edwards admits the region’s hectic schedule – four games in 16 days – is taking its toll after a fourth successive RaboDirect Pro12 defeat.

The Dragons were blown away in the opening quarter by the team just above them in the table and, by the time they managed to get a foothold in the game, Eric Elwood’s Connacht had disappeared out of sight to bring a four-match losing run of their own to an end.

Yet Edwards said they will take encouragement from the way they finished the game as they head to France to meet Bayonne in the Amlin Challenge Cup on Thursday.

“It was very hard to come back from being 20 points down at the end of the first quarter,” said Edwards.

“We were conscious about a very hard Christmas campaign with local derbies and a two-day break.

“We were hoping we had enough fuel in the tank to have a good start, but we didn’t and 20 points really did a job on us.

“The number of games is pretty testing and, with our average at around 23, it is a big demand.

“But hopefully we’ve got a big result in us in Bayonne and maybe that would up a big game against Wasps in the final pool match.”

The only Dragons’ victory in their last eight league matches was a 14-3 win over Connacht at Rodney Parade at the end of November.

But it was clear early on here, amid ideal conditions in Galway, that Elwood’s men would be dominant.

Their power up front yielded a penalty try, while the Dragons struggled to contain the strong running of full-back Robbie Henshaw, centre Dave McSharry and winger Fetu’u Vainikolo.

McSharry set up No.8 George Naoupu for a second try while the trusty boot of Dan Parks kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Dragons needed to relieve the pressure but Tom Prydie was off-target with a couple of penalty attempts, although in between he nabbed one to make it 20-3 at the break.

Another Prydie penalty just after the break suggested a revival, but Henshaw and McSharry sliced the visitors’ defence to send winger Danie Poolman over in the right corner.

The Dragons shored up their defence after that with Andy Tuilagi and Adam Hughes getting the hits in, they also finished strongly and secured a late try when Jonathan Evans squeezed over in the left corner.

But it was scant consolation as Connacht put some daylight between them near the foot of the table.

“It was a disappointing start to the new year for us,” admitted Edwards.

“I thought we looked like a team playing our third game in 10, we were very lethargic and just didn’t get out of the blocks.

“But all credit to Connacht, they really put us to the sword in the opening 30 minutes and by the time we came to life they were well out of sight.

“The boys dug in deep after they got their third try and we had performed well in our two derby games.

“But the biggest lesson we learned is that it was just too late by the time we got going.”

Connacht coach Elwood confessed he was disappointed not to get a try bonus point, but he praised Dragons for the way they hit back in the second half when his side went in search of a fourth try.

“The Dragons are a bit like us, a workmanlike team who battle away,” he said.

“We knew they were not going to lie down because they are battling away with us down at the bottom of the table for positions.”